Blake Buchanan and Elijah Gertrude Officially Sign With Virginia Basketball
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Blake Buchanan and Elijah Gertrude are officially Cavaliers.
Tony Bennett announced on Wednesday the signing of Buchanan and Gertrude to National Letters of Intent to play for the Virginia men's basketball program starting in the 2023-2024 season.
“We are excited to add these young men to our basketball program,” said Tony Bennett. “Blake and Elijah are talented, competitive and high character individuals. They come from outstanding families and value a degree from the University of Virginia.”
Buchanan, a 6'10" forward/center from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, became UVA's first commit in the class of 2023 back on July 3rd, choosing the Cavaliers over Gonzaga. A consensus four-star recruit, Buchanan is the No. 1-ranked recruit in Idaho across each of the major recruiting services and most rankings have him as a top 10 center in the country.
“Blake became a highly sought-after player because of his mobility and versatility in the frontcourt,” said Bennett. “He is a competitive two-way forward who has a bright future at UVA.”
Gertrude, who is also a consensus four-star recruit, announced his commitment to Virginia on September 14th, picking UVA over Kansas, Seton Hall, St. John's, and Rutgers. A 6'4" guard, Gertrude's athleticism jumps off the screen in highlight videos. 247Sports rates Gertrude as the No. 36 overall prospect in the class of 2023 and the No. 3 shooting guard in the nation.
“Elijah caught the eye of so many schools because of his completeness and athleticism,” Bennett said. “He has enormous upside on both ends of the floor.”
Blake Buchanan and Elijah Gertrude are set to arrive on Grounds next summer. Together with the 2022 freshmen class that features four former four-star recruits, UVA's roster in 2023-2024 looks to be one of the most talented of the Tony Bennett era.
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